UK’s first Hunkeler Generation 8 line tested and purchased by Adare SEC

Leading UK firm continues growth through investing in innovative technology

Adare SEC, a provider of technology-led, paper-based and electronic communication solutions, has become the first company in the UK to test a new cross-cutter that is almost 20% faster than the previous model.

With a commitment to innovation, streamlining its production, and remaining at the forefront of the sector, Secure and Essential Communication specialist Adare SEC was asked to BETA test Hunkeler’s new CS8 Sheeter that runs almost 20% faster than its predecessor, the CS6 length and cross-cutter as well as 10% wider.

The CS8’s cutting module produces full-bleed documents, using its double cross-cutting cylinder. It can also be equipped either with two knives for variable chip-out, or with one cutting knife and one perforating blade to produce dynamic folding perforations.

20% faster and 10% wider than it's predecessor, the NEW Hunkeler Generation 8 is now ready to be rolled out in the UK

The equipment, worth £403,000, is based at Adare’s Huddersfield site and has helped provide more flexibility around product routing and generating capacity gains across its finishing department and digital print and enclosing departments. It was used to sheet down various types of secure documents offline with very little waste, achieving over two million forms per day.

Steve Davies, head of production at Adare SEC, said: “The rated speed for the CS8 is 180mtm, which is achievable on a regular basis, and offers valuable support to our current CS6 that we invested in only 14 months ago. The beauty about these machines is they are very modular so can be specified to achieve specific or generic requirements.

“The CS6 sheeter runs 153mtm and the machine was rated at 150mtm when we acquired it. Hunkeler offered us the chance to BETA test their new line at the new rates speed, so we couldn’t resist to put it through its testing.

“The new CS8 stood up to the test, whilst also offering the reliability expected from Hunkeler, not to mention the expert field engineers that come with their vast knowledge and experience.”

Adare’s CEO, Richard Slee, added: “It is very humbling to be part of this BETA test and we take the offer from Hunkeler to be a great compliment as it demonstrates that we drive the machines hard in what is a very difficult financial climate, achieving fantastic efficiencies that show through to our bottom line.”

The CS8 addition is part of ongoing investments across all of Adare SEC’s sites in Huddersfield, Redditch, Guildford and Nottingham, as it gears up for a period of accelerated growth in 2018.

Robin Brown, Sales Manager for Friedheim International Digital Solutions said, “Friedheim’s relationship with Adare goes back over 30 years, and as a trusted partner and their commitment to innovation, they have progressed through the entire series of Hunkeler POPP (printer online paper processing) systems over the last 25 years.”

The Adare SEC line includes the latest Generation 8 modules from Hunkeler

“The new Generation 8 systems were launched at Hunkeler Innovation 2017 only a year ago. Able to process paper 20% faster, but also 10% wider the new Generation 8 covers virtually all the latest ink-jet presses on the market. Complete with new electronic build the system is designed to incorporate many Hunkeler modules including web inspection. Falling back on many years of experience of high speed continuous paper processing Hunkeler Generation 8 can process a much wider variety of substrates and is able to cut down to a full bleed A6 4-up at full speed, which is 180m/min.”

“The only way Hunkeler can achieve this is by extensive testing and running the lines in the most demanding environments, which is why Adare was chosen to run the first Generation 8 in the UK producing high security paper products. The line needed to be run as hard as possible, and since installation the line at Adare has had the highest count of throughput on any Generation 8 line achieving over 2 million per day.”